


A Chance Encounter

by old_and_new_friends



Series: Mako's Lovers [6]
Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Coffee date, F/M, Meet-Cute, Relationship Study, Strangers to Lovers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-13
Updated: 2021-01-13
Packaged: 2021-03-17 22:08:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,853
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28732482
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/old_and_new_friends/pseuds/old_and_new_friends
Summary: When Korra drags the group to the Fire Nation for a festival, Mako gets separated. Luckily he's found by the prettiest woman in the Fire Nation.
Relationships: Izumi's Daughter/Mako (Avatar)
Series: Mako's Lovers [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2095230
Comments: 2
Kudos: 29





	A Chance Encounter

"Thanks for inviting us to stay with you," Korra said, as the group trailed behind General Iroh.

General Iroh smiled. "The Avatar will always be welcome within the wall of our home," he said. "My mother looks forward to meeting you in a more formal capacity, however, she and my sister are currently in the city of Hira'a visiting family. They will be back by dinner. Until then, if you wish I could show your group around Caldera City?"

"That'd be great, General!" Bolin said, pushing his way to the front. "Say, what's a good place to grab a bite around here?"

Mako didn't hear the General's reply as his attention was caught by a glint in the corner of his eye.

Mako turned and felt his mouth run dry. The glint had been a very shiny gold necklace that hung from the neck of the most beautiful woman Mako had ever seen.

"Mako, come on!" Korra called, as she turned to follow the General further into the city.

Mako moved to follow, but glanced back at the woman one last time. Her skirt was caught on a piece of metal of the vendor’s cart she had been looking over. She seemed unaware as she moved to walk away.

Mako leapt forward and stalled her, reaching down to free the fabric before he could even think much on it.

He only realized how odd the gesture was when he looked up into startled brown eyes.

"Ah," Mako said, his mind going completely blank. "Um, your skirt, it was, it was caught. Wardrobe malfunction?"

"I'm sorry?" The woman asked, smiling at him slightly.

It was a kind smile, if good humored and stole away whatever speaking ability Mako still possessed.

"Uh," Mako said, blushing deeply.

"I see," she said, laughing slightly to herself. "Well, thank you for saving me from a wardrobe malfunction. You truly have a way with words. I'm Ursa, could I perhaps get my hero's name?"

"Ha," Mako said, "yes."

Ursa looked up at him patiently and Mako jolted as he realized she wanted his name.

"Mako," he said. "My name's Mako."

"Mako then," she said, looking up at him through her lashes. "Would you have the time to humor a lady and escort her through the city? I wouldn't want any more wardrobe attacks to happen. There's a cafe I quite like around the corner. Do you drink coffee?"

"Uh," Mako said.

Ursa seemed to take that as an affirmative as she looped her arm with Mako's and dragged him down the street.

"Oh, wait," Mako said looking back over his shoulder. His friends and their guide were gone, leaving the street empty save for the vendors, Ursa and Mako.

Mako turned back to Ursa who was looking up at him in question. "Never mind," he said, gesturing for her to lead the way.

He would catch back up with them later. The palace wasn't exactly hidden, and he would be able to make it by dinner.

He wasn't going to ignore a pretty woman on his arm to go hunt them down.

"So, do you live in the city or are you visiting for the festival?" Ursa asked, as she seated them outside the cafe.

Mako startled as a server almost materialized at their side. 

"How may I serve you, pr-" the server cut off abruptly as Ursa shook her head harshly at them.

Mako marveled at the way the soft curls caught the light.

"Yuanyang, please," Ursa said, talking over them. "What do you want Mako?"

"Um," Mako said, looking down at the same drink menu. Its floral design told him black coffee likely wasn't on the menu. "Surprise me?"

"Get him the same," Ursa said. "Make them strong."

The server nodded and stepped away.

"Do you not drink coffee?" Ursa asked. "We could have gone somewhere else."

"I drink coffee," Mako said. "It just usually comes from a thousand-year-old machine at work that makes dark caffeinated water more than anything else."

Ursa scrunched up her nose. "Sounds pleasant," she said. "So, is this a visit or home?"

Mako blushed slightly realizing he forgot to answer her first question. "Sadly, a visit. I live in Republic City," he said.

"Why sadly?" Ursa asked, leaning over the table.

"It's nice here," Mako said. "It's sunny and warm. The food smells great though I can't say I've had any and well, the people are nice."

Mako trailed off awkwardly. He had meant that Ursa had been nice to talk to but was worried that would be too forward.

Ursa smiled. "I'm glad we left an impression," she said, leaning back as the mugs were placed in front of them.

"How long are you here for?" Ursa asked.

"Oh, two weeks," Mako said.

When Korra had first told him that Mako had complained at how long the trip would be. Now it felt entirely too short.

"Maybe we could meet up again in that time?" Ursa said.

"Yes," Mako replied, not even considering if he'd have the time for it. If he didn’t, he'd make some.

Ursa smiled brightly at him and Mako nearly melted as it revealed a dimple on her left cheek. She was dangerously pretty and something told Mako this woman was about to get him in serious trouble.

Mako kind of wanted her to.

They finished their tea over more small talk, in which Mako learned that Ursa had an older brother, was just coming back from a vacation herself and that she was currently applying to Masters programs.

"I've been considering R-C-U," Ursa said, setting down a tip that made Mako's eyes widen. "I've heard good things about it but I've never been that far from home on my own before. My brother technically lives in the city but he's U-F so he's almost never there."

"I've been told it was a good school," Mako said. "My friend graduated from their undergrad program. I've been thinking of trying to go but I already know I'll be stuck in remediation classes for years to catch up to the school's standards."

He followed Ursa absentmindedly, as they slowly walked towards to palace.

Ursa looked at him in question. "Surly, your grades weren't that bad," she said. "You seem smart to me."

"I am smart," Mako said, slightly defensively. "In my own way, anyway, but I don't have grades to give them. I kind of had to drop out."

"Oh," Ursa said, looping her arm back around his and squeezing slightly. "I'm sorry. You know they have schools for that, you could start there?"

"I guess," Mako said, looking down. "I just, I'm not interested in what I currently do anymore. It's been wearing on me."

Mako had been jumpy since his injury and it was causing too much stress for him at work. Mako barely managed to show up some days.

"I think it's worth a shot," Ursa said. "If anyone can do it, it’s you."

Mako smiled down at the sidewalk. "You barely know me," Mako said.

"But I know you enough to know you can do it," Ursa insisted.

Mako bit his lip to stop himself from smiling even harder.

"Mako!" Asami yelled. "Guys, he's over here."

Mako startled and pushed Ursa behind himself before realizing the shout wasn't a threat.

"Mako, you disappeared on us," Bolin said, running up to hug him. Bolin acted as if Mako had been missing for days.

"Sorry, I got distracted, and then you guys were gone when I turned back around," Mako said.

"Well, at least he's okay," Korra said, joining them. She seemed to notice Ursa behind him. "Hello, I'm Korra, I can assume you're who distracted Mako?"

Korra was smirking at him as Asami covered the smile on her face with her hand. Bolin had no such subtlety and beamed at them.

"Wait, no," Mako said, tucking Ursa further behind him. "It's not like that, her skirt got caught and I freed it and she decided to take me for coffee to thank me."

"So, you saved her from embarrassment and she took you on a coffee date," Asami said, smiling kindly at them.

Mako opened his mouth to argue when he caught a glimpse of Ursa watching him.

He deflated slightly as he made eye contact with hopeful brown eyes.

"Yeah," Mako said. "That's what happened."

Ursa beamed at him.

"Did you find him?" General Iroh asked, joining the chaos. He clearly hadn't been too worried about locating Mako as he was currently munching on a mango that was covered in a red powder.

"Hey, RoRo," Ursa said, popping out from behind Mako. "You know them?"

"That's the Avatar," General Iroh said, pointing to Korra.

"I see," Ursa said, turning her attention on the other woman.

"And you are?" Korra asked, titling her head at Ursa in interest.

"Ursa," General Iroh answered, "my baby sister. You're back early."

General Iroh didn’t sound surprised, merely curious. Mako on the other hand felt his brain short circuit.

"Mom and I caught an early boat," Ursa said, completely unaware of Mako's inner turmoil. "I decided to spend the free time in the city, where I ran into Mako."

General Iroh looked between the two curiously before a sly grin crept across his face. "Good luck with that, buddy," he said, patting Mako harshly on the back as he walked towards the palace.

Mako nearly crashed into Korra with the force behind General Iroh's gesture.

"Jerk," Ursa called, at the General's back. General Iroh made a rude gesture over his shoulder and Ursa scoffed.

"He's such a brat," Ursa said, turning to the group. "Ignore him, he thinks he's funny, but he's not!"

She yelled the last part over her shoulder but General Iroh had already slipped into the gates.

Mako hasn't realized Ursa had been walking him to the palace and not just towards it.

Korra winked at Mako before dragging Asami and Bolin behind the General.

"So," Ursa said, blushing as she turned back to Mako, "sorry about my brother."

"No, he's fine," Mako said. "As an older brother I'd do the same."

Ursa rolled her eyes. "Just my luck, the nice cute guy I met is secretly an older brother, the most annoying of creatures on the planet," she said.

"Hey," Mako called with a laugh.

"Well, since you're staying at my house, I guess I'll be seeing a lot more of you than expected," Ursa said, as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Yeah," Mako said, lamely.

Ursa sighed. “I give up. You’re clueless,” she said, before standing on her tiptoes to plant a light kiss on Mako's lips. "Same time tomorrow?" She asked.

"Oh, uh, yeah," Mako repeated, barely stopping himself from reaching up to his mouth.

He stood there dumbstruck as Ursa slipped into the palace, only following her when the guards told him they needed to shut the gate at sundown.

That launched Mako into action as he ran after the others. Hopefully he wasn't late for dinner, he doubted that would leave a good impression on his date's mother.

**Author's Note:**

> This series has spiraled out of control. Expect at least six more parts.


End file.
